English 180A Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw

We're concluding English 180A with Will Ferguson's great travel book, Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada.

Here's your blog question for this last book in the course:

Is this book, although each chapter focuses on a particular place and region in Canada, Will Ferguson makes many observations about Canada and Canadians in general. Which of these struck you the most and why?

Unlike our previous questions, you need only write one response to this book and are not obliged to respond to other people's comments.

English 180B Alligator

We're concluding English 180B with Lisa Moore's fascinating novel, Alligator.

Here's your blog question for this last book in the course:

"We must be friends, the Russian said. I like you because you are a businessman. You are like me. This is what we have to understand: there is a system but it is like a suspension bridge, it has give. People like us must exploit the give, do you know what I mean? Frank said he understood" (255).

What do you think of Valentin's observation? Does this only relate to his exploitation of Frank, or does it also resonate in the lives of other characters as well? Answer with respect to the actions of at least one of the characters in the novel.

Unlike our previous questions, you need only write one response to this book and are not obliged to respond to other people's comments.